“Arktika” is the oldest nuclear-powered icebreaker in Atomflot’s fleet. It was launched in 1975 and taken out of service in 2008. The vessel is planned to be scrapped by 2020, along with two other old nuclear-powered icebreakers, “Sibir” and “Rossiya”.

Some people are now fighting to avoid that the first icebreaker in the world to reach the North Pole should end up as scrap. They are hoping that the vessel can be made into a museum in St. Petersburg.

The world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker, the “Lenin”, was made into a museum in 2009 and has become a very popular landmark in downtown Murmansk.

Head of the Russian State Museum of Arctic and Antarctic in St. Petersburg Biktor Boyarsky says that his museum and other Polar societies are ready to contribute to saving the vessel.

Atomflot would also like to see the famous icebreaker being saved for future generations, but do not have the means for it. According to Deputy General Director of Atomflot Stanislav Golovinsky, the nuclear icebreaker fleet receives 1.26 billion rubles (app €32 million) annually from the state budget. To have “Arktika” made into a museum and transported to St. Petersburg will cost ‘tens of millions of rubles’, Golovinsky says to RIA Novosti. But to scrap a nuclear-powered icebreaker costs a lot more – about 1.9 billion rubles.

Russia's newest nuclear powered icebreakers "50 Let Pobedy" ("50 Years of Victory") was put into service in 2007.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

Russia's nuclear powered icebreakers at their homeport Atomflot a few kilometers north of Murmansk center.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The storage ship "Lepse" is loaded with damaged spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The vessel is moored at Atomflot just north of Murmansk on Russia's Kola Peninsula.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

"Lepse" forms one of the world's most difficult and potentially dangerous nuclear waste disposal problems. The damaged spent nuclear fuel is stored in the forward compartment of the vessel.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

"Taimyr" nuclear powered icebreaker is designed for operations in shallow waters, mainly in the Kara Sea and the river Yenisei to the port of Dudinka. The icebreaker is built in Finland, while the single reactor on board is made in Russia.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The red and orange vessels are of the Arktika-class icebreakers, all powered by two nuclear reactors.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The radiation on board "Lepse" exceeds permitted levels. A comprehensive plan on how to safely decommission the vessel is now under development.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The nuclear powered icebreaker "Sovyetsky Soyuz" operates along the ice-covered waters of the Northern Sea Route.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

Director of Rosatomflot, Vyacheslav Rukhsa with the nuclear powered icebreaker "50 Let Pobedy" in the floating dock in the background.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The nuclear powered container vessel "Sevmorput" (right) is the world's largest civilian nuclear powered vessel. Here together with the nuclear powered icebreaker "Sovyetsky Soyuz" and the "Lotta" service ship for spent nuclear fuel.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

Shark teeth painted on the bow of "Yamal" nuclear powered icebreaker.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

"Rossia" and "Arktika" side-by-side at Atomflot in Murmansk. They are both some of the oldest nuclear powered icebreakers.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

"Lenin" was the world's first civilian nucler powered vessel. The icebreaker was first sailing in 1959. Today, "Lenin" is laidup in the central harbor of Murmansk as a museum for the nuclear fleet.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

"Sevmorput" is a nuclear powered container vessel designed to sail through the ice along the Northern Sea Route. The vessel has however mainly been laidup here in Murmansk since it was commissioned in 1988.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

After a few years in operation, the spent nuclear fuel rods are transfered from the icebreakers reactors to one of the service vessels, like "Lotta" here moored side-by-side with the nuclear powered icebreaker "Sovyetsky Soyz" at port at Atomflot outside Murmansk.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver / BarentsObserver

The servicebase Atomflot with its administration (blue building) is located a few kilometers north of central Murmansk. Here the two nuclear powered icebreakers "Taimyr" and "Rossia."

sen / BarentsObserver

"Arktika" (in front) was the first surface vessel in the world to reach the North Pole. She arrived at 90°N on August 17, 1977.

Photo: Thomas Nilsen / BarentsObserver

The tanker "Serebryanka" is used for storage of liquid radioactive waste. In the 80ties, this vessel was used for dumping liquid radioactive waste from the icebreaker fleet several places in the Barents Sea.

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